"Are you going back to England, sir?"
"By and by."
"But you will come here again first?"
"Yes--if Mr. Rossitur will let me."
"Mr. Carleton knows he commands his own welcome," said that gentleman somewhat stately. "Go and tell your aunt Fleda that tea is ready, Rolf."
"She knows," said Rolf. "She was making an omelette--I guess it was for this gentleman!"
Whose name he was not clear of yet. Mr. Rossitur looked vexed, but Hugh laughed and asked if his aunt gave him leave to tell that. Rolf entered forthwith into discussion on this subject, while Mr. Carleton who had not seemed to hear it engaged Mr. Rossitur busily in another; till the omelette and Fleda came in. Rolf's mind however was ill at ease.
"Aunt Fleda," said he, as soon as she had fairly taken her place at the head of the table, "would you mind my telling that you made the omelette for this gentleman?"
Fleda cast a confused glance first at the person in question and then round the table, but Mr. Carleton without looking at her answered instantly,
"Don't you understand, Rolf, that the same kindness which will do a favour for a friend will keep him in ignorance of it?"